You might like to drink alcohol to unwind and enjoy yourself after a long work week. But developing a dependence on alcohol, even becoming an alcoholic, can completely destroy your life.
Here are a few approaches to help you avoid becoming dependent on and addicted to alcohol.
Don’t Keep Alcohol Around
First, don’t keep alcohol around your house where you can easily reach it in moments of boredom or stress. Having alcohol easily accessible in your house will make it much more difficult to avoid drinking alcohol excessively. Refraining from keeping alcohol at home will help you to curb your drinking and avoid alcohol dependence.
If you have to go to the effort of traveling to a bar or restaurant to drink, you won’t be likely to make that effort as often. This will help you to avoid drinking as often or using alcohol as a coping mechanism.
Understand Risk Factors
Next, make sure that you understand the risk factors of drinking alcohol. All different forms of alcohol are specifically formed and crafted to be addictive. The more you drink, the more the alcohol companies profit. So, when choosing to drink alcohol, keep in mind that you’re not just drinking a beverage you like.
You’re purposefully drinking a beverage that makes you want more, which could easily lead to dependence and addiction. About 20% of sexual abuse victims go on to develop drug or alcohol dependency.
Know Your Limits
Finally, make sure that you know your personal limits. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should just know your limits on how much you can drink before you get drunk and need some help getting home. You should know your limit of how much you can drink before you can’t resist another glass, or what types of alcohol you can drink that leave you wanting more. Staying away from the irresistible urge of drinking more and more will help you to avoid alcohol dependency. Don’t just drink responsibly, drink in very careful moderation. Be actively aware of what alcohol does to you; if you don’t like the feeling of dependence upon alcohol, you can choose not to drink anymore.
So, if you’re worried that you’re developing a dependence upon alcohol as a stress relief or relaxer, remember this article. You can avoid alcohol dependence by choosing not to keep alcohol in your house, understanding risk factors, and knowing your limits. This can help you to avoid alcohol dependence and alcoholism, improving your quality of life.
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